This invention is concerned with security of lockers, safes, desks, file cabinets or other storage devices assigned for temporary or long-term use, especially lockers. In particular, the invention relates to an electronic lock for a locker having a standard three-hole locker door prep layout, to replace a standard key or combination lock fitting the same locker door. The lock of the invention is compact, manually operated (although embodiments could be automatically operated) to release a locker door latch when the electronic access control is properly accessed.
Electronic locks are well known. For example, hotel safes for temporary use by guests have included digital locks with keypads for use by the guest. In some cases, the guest was able to select his own combination for the digital lock. In other cases, a combination sequence has been pre-assigned to electronic locks, with the combination sequence not under the control of the user.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,886,644 and 5,894,277, owned by the assignee of the present invention, describe electronic locker locks to fit a standard three-hole door prep layout as well as other doors. The electronic locks described in those patents are comprised of two housings, mounted at front and back of the door and electronically connected through the center hole of the three-hole door prep layout, and they included an electromagnetically-driven latch, retracted automatically by the lock device when the proper code was entered by a user, either via a keypad or an electronic ID device such as an iButton. Both patents are incorporated herein by reference.
The following additional U.S. patents are believed to have some relevance to this invention: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,373,718, 5,321,963, 5,223,829, 5,153,561, 5,033,282, 5,021,776, 5,020,345, 4,967,305, 4,931,789, 4,887,445, 4,665,397, 4,568,998, 4,495,540, 4,243,256, 3,878,511, 3,831,065, 3,754,213, 3,754,164 and 3,753,164.
There has been a need for an electronic lock operated by an electronic identification device of relatively inexpensive construction, particularly for lockers but with more versatility as to use on various standard designs, modularity as to assembly and opposite-hand use, easy programmability and convenience and simplicity to the user. These are the goals of the present invention described below.